After a sharp increase over the last two years, the number of undergraduates visiting the emergency room for alcohol consumption has dropped significantly so far this semester. Meanwhile, the number of alcohol-related judicial violations has increased, especially among freshmen.
There have been 18 alcohol-related visits to the emergency room this year, compared with 28 last year, and alcohol violation reports have increased from 61 to 95; the number of freshman violations has nearly doubled, from 42 to 80.
The reason for the swings is not clear, but administrators offer several possible contributing factors. They hope the increase in violation reports reflects a more widespread enforcement of rules, and that the decrease in ER visits is due to changes in the alcohol policy.
"You're asking me to look into a crystal ball and analyze a very complex situation," said Sue Wasiolek, assistant vice president for student affairs. "Because of the complexity of alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse, it's impossible, for me at least, to come up with a cause and effect."
Wasiolek and other administrators suggested that several changes may have made the social climate safer for students. This year, the University offered new alcohol education programs at freshman orientation and emphasized enforcement to residential advisors. Officials also began requiring student monitors and Emergency Medical Technicians at parties.
Justin Odegaard, a senior and director of Duke Emergency Medical Services, could not explain the decrease in ER visits. "We can't necessarily assume that there have been fewer alcohol emergencies," he said. "We don't know if people are still getting in trouble and not calling." Odegaard added that the closing of the Hideaway may be a factor in the decrease.
Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said that despite the decrease, the number of visits is too high and their severity too grave.
"We've had too many very close calls of alcohol toxicity that were incredibly dangerous," Moneta said. "I still want people to understand there is still a state of urgency about the numbers of students who are making very, very bad decisions involving alcohol."
While alcohol-related ER visits have decreased, the number of freshman alcohol violation reports has "skyrocketed," said Stephen Bryan, assistant dean of student development. He attributed this jump to more East Campus RAs taking initiative in approaching underage students.
"We made pretty clear expectations about the alcohol policy and how it can be enforced with increased comfort," Bryan said. "What's surprising to me is that we also did that for West Campus RAs, and I expected a flurry of reports from [them] but I haven't gotten them. That shows me that they're still not comfortable, and I don't know why that is."
Bryan also said the implementation of an online report system has made the process of reporting violations of any kind more convenient for RAs. Citing the change, Bryan reported 160 total disciplinary violations so far this year, as compared to 181 for all of last year.
Administrators hope these numbers--as well as the decreased number of ER visits--reflect increased awareness and enforcement of the alcohol policy. But they warn that it is too soon to know if the ER data reflects real changes or statistical variation.
"It's the scientist in me versus the University employee in me," said alcohol specialist Jeff Kulley, hired by Counseling and Psychological Services last year. "As an employee, I'd like to think it represents a trend towards safer drinking and not just random fluctuations in numbers."
Some students attribute the drop to an increase in parties off campus.
"I feel like there has been an increase in parties off campus, perhaps because of the increased restrictions placed on fraternities and selective houses," said junior Rachel Baden. "Maybe that's why the number [of emergency room visits] has gone down."
Chevon Haswell, a senior and RA in Few Quadrangle, said she worries that partying off campus may have negative effects, such as drinking and driving. "There's less parties, or at least less loud parties. I'm not sure if it's actually decreasing alcohol consumption, but we [RAs] speculate that more parties are happening off campus," Haswell said. "Once you're off campus, you don't really have a safety net."
Haswell, also the student director of Safe Haven, reported a dramatic decrease in the number of students who have used that facility this year, and speculated that an increase in off-campus parties may be contributing to the downturn there as well.
"I don't know if [off-campus partying] was anticipated, but it certainly wasn't a goal," said Jim Clack, former interim vice president for student affairs, who helped create the new alcohol policy. "At some point, the administration has to stand back and say that students have to take responsibility for their own behavior."
Bryan said it is the University's policy to not intervene in off-campus disciplinary actions unless they pose a threat on campus, but that examination of that policy is "on the horizon." He said there has been a national trend in colleges and universities to intervene in off-campus student affairs.
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